Years ago, the shoe company Nike came out with a successful, longstanding ad campaign with these three words: just do it. The gain of doing it—the physical training or pushing your body to be the best it can be—is self-directed. The self is important, oh yes. Do enjoy your…
Deborah said to Barak, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor. And I will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin’s army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. h…
Prayer Practice? This that a thing? Then they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.” — Daniel 6:9 You’re a grade schooler. There’s the basketball, the clarinet, or the…
We have all one, two or all three of the following. Health issues. Relationship stress. Financial woes. We just cannot see a way forward. In being stuck, which is not always a bad thing because a learning moment is upon us, we run to Jesus. Our prayers to Him…
What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” — Mark 10:51, NLT Bartimaeus was blind. He literally could not see. Ask yourself what you literally cannot see. What is out of our vision? Where are…
He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.” — Mark 9:35, NLT Maybe it was your stern grandfather who said this to you when you had a childhood crime…
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me.” — Mark 8:34b We can interpret the “cross” as a burden such as an unrewarding job, a physical illness, or some other unpleasant experience. With self-pitying…
They were completely amazed and said again and again, “Everything he does is wonderful. He even makes the deaf to hear and gives speech to those who cannot speak.” — Mark 7:37, NLT Let’s be clear here. Jesus is the miracle worker. As you just read, He makes the…
And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. — Ephesians 3:18, NLT Paul is clear. If we devote ourselves to God, then we, who are God’s people, should know how wide, long,…
Nathan replied to the king, “Go ahead and do whatever you have in mind, for the LORD is with you.” — 2 Samuel 7:3 We think to ourselves what King David thought to himself when he hears Nathan. “Oh good, I can keep on with my plan because the…
